After purchasing a Newsagency in 2010, Mark and Jodie Watson soon felt the impact of a changing media landscape. Online competition, falling newspaper sales and weaker foot traffic in the Gosford shopping centre was putting them out of business.
“Everything was online, even the lotto became available online as well so the turnover really suffered,” explains Jodie.
Instead of closing the doors, the pair looked at how they could diversify the business and spotted a niche in the stationery side of the business.
Building on already-established suppliers, Mark and Jodie opened a side business selling stationery, called Cultural Choice.
“After about 18 months we decided to close the newsagency because Cultural Choice looked like it had good opportunities, but the newsagency was just going to bring it down financially,” says Jodie.
Cultural Choice draws on Mark’s Indigenous heritage, featuring a top-selling range of notepads, pens, copy paper, and hand sanitiser, which Mark designs.
“I was taught by an elder from the hunter called Uncle Les Elwin, he was a world-renowned artist,” explains Mark.
Mark is a Gamilaroi man from Walgett in northern NSW Source: SBS
“He even did some designs for our school books”.
Policy changes are driving new business opportunities for Indigenous businesses.
Cultural Choice is among a growing number of Indigenous Businesses landing Government contracts. Under the Indigenous Procurement Policy, 3% of new Commonwealth contracts must be awarded to Indigenous suppliers each year, with more than 1,000 partnerships formed since 2015.
Cultural Choice is certified with Supply Nation, a national directory of verified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses.
“Large corporations and governments join Supply Nation as members, whilst Indigenous businesses act as suppliers," explains Jodie.
"It allows the businesses to form contacts and meet with the members to sell your services."
The business is now experiencing strong growth, with an annual turnover of around $3 million.
“We’ve expanded outside your general stationery. With all the infrastructure going on around the country we’ve had more opportunities in furniture and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE),” says Jodie.
Cultural Choice has contracts with NSW Education and NSW Government Agencies Source: SBS
Cultural Choice has a number of big contracts in the pipeline, but Mark and Jodie are also focused on giving back to the community, and recently established their own charity, the Cultural Choice Foundation.
Now, 10 cents of every private label sale will go towards Indigenous education and youth suicide prevention.
“We actually lost a nephew 18 months ago to suicide. We always wanted to set up the charity for education and employment opportunities, and when that happened our sons asked if we can work in that area as well,” explains Jodie.
“Not everyone’s built for school, so there’s got to be a lot more programs run in school for kids that can’t handle mainstream schools, mainstream classes and the regiment of school,” says Mark.
Mark and Jodie are also using their success to help other small businesses.
Mark paints all the designs used on Cultural Choice's stationery range Source: SBS
“We’ve got a bit of a platform now and it hasn’t been easy, it’s taken five years to get that so it would be good to now bring on other Indigenous businesses’ products that suit with our business, and be able to offer those to our customers as well,” says Jodie.
If you or someone you know needs help, call:
- Emergency on 000
- Lifeline on 13 11 14
- Kids Helpline on 1800 551 800
- MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
- Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue on 1300 22 46 36
- Headspace on 1800 650 890
